The present invention relates generally to implantable medical devices. More particularly, this invention pertains to medical devices used to remove cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from a patient's CSF spaces for treatment of medical conditions.
Physicians treat certain illnesses and medical conditions, such as hydrocephalus, by removing excess CSF from CSF spaces in the afflicted patient's body. These CSF spaces can include the cerebral ventricles and subarachnoid space.
Conventionally, therapeutic removal of CSF can be accomplished using devices which are capable of collecting CSF from a CSF space, such as the intracranial ventricles, and moving the collected fluid to a location outside of the CSF space. In some cases, the removal location will be an internal body space such as the venous system or peritoneal cavity. Other conventional CSF removal techniques involve externally disposing of the CSF through a transcutaneous apparatus or shunt having a component for extracting the CSF from the CSF space, a component for disposing of the extracted CSF, and component for controlling the flow of the CSF through the apparatus. Some prior art methods and devices for removing CSF are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,928.
One of the weaknesses of prior art CSF shunts and methods is that they lack the ability to closely monitor and/or precisely regulate the flow of CSF through the device on a programmed or real time basis. Many treating physicians would find it helpful to have an easy and non-invasive way of monitoring the functioning of an implantable CSF removal device so that the operation of the device can be optimally adjusted to suit the needs of a particular patient. Such devices are lacking in the prior art.